


Give Up

by AllTimePhan73



Category: Video Blogging RPF, jacksepticeye
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Henrik von Schneeplestein - Freeform, Jackieboy Man - Freeform, Jameson Jackson - Freeform, KickThePj - Freeform, Marvin the Magnificent - Freeform, antisepticeye, chase brody - Freeform, jacksepticeye - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-22
Updated: 2018-06-12
Packaged: 2019-05-10 03:44:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 15,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14729319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllTimePhan73/pseuds/AllTimePhan73
Summary: "A fourteen year old girl named Lucy Hart was found by her parents last night after attempting suicide," Jack looked up from his bowl of cereal, feeling somehow drawn to the story. A picture of a young girl was long brown hair and braces was shown on the screen and Jack felt an ache in his heart that she had to suffer. "Her parents, however, appear to believe it was an attempted murder as Lucy had not shown any signs of depression prior to the attempt. She appeared to have cut a capitalised 'A' into her skin but we are not sure if it is of any relevance. Lucy remains in a coma but she should be okay."-What if Jack's egos escaped from the world they were trapped in and came to the real world?TW: Attempted suicide, anxiety, violence and mention of a previous abusive relationship.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you know, this is also being posted on my Wattpad (AllTimePhan73) and so nothing is being stolen. I'm just posting it on both websites :P

Rain was pouring down heavily from the sky, making Jack's tears completely invisible. Lightning flashed and lit up the roof tops before being followed by a loud clap of thunder. The man was standing right at the edge, so close that even one nudge would send him plummeting to his death. "I didn't mean for this to happen!" He helplessly yelled at nothing. He was on his own on top of the building so nothing was going to stop him from jumping. The wind was making his hair go wild and fly in all different directions. Jack brought his hands to his hair and tugged harshly, letting out a long, high-pitched scream.

"I didn't want anyone to get hurt! I just wanted to help! I wanted to make people happy and- and- be there for them when no one else was. I didn't want them to hurt themselves..." The world went in slow motion as he bent his legs and got ready to jump.

**A FEW WEEKS EARLIER**

"A fourteen year old girl named Lucy Hart was found by her parents last night after attempting suicide," Jack looked up from his bowl of cereal, feeling somehow drawn to the story. A picture of a young girl with long brown hair and braces was shown on the screen and Jack felt an ache in his heart that she had to suffer. "Her parents, however, appear to believe it was an attempted murder as Lucy had not shown any signs of depression prior to the attempt. She appeared to have cut a capitalised 'A' into her skin but we are not sure if it is of any relevance. Lucy remains in a coma but she should be okay."

The camera then moved onto another story, this time a 19 year old boy called David Loch. He had a similar story, even with the 'A' etched into the skin of his wrist. His parents were being interviewed and his mum was crying with his dad's arm wrapped around her. His dad was the one who spoke as he seemed to be the most composed of the two. "David was always happy. We barely saw him because he's been at university but- but, whenever he comes home, he's really happy. He wouldn't do this." The dad shook his head to himself as a tear slid down his cheek.

"Could it be possible that he fell into depression whilst he was away?" The interviewer wasn't empathetic at all as she shoved the microphone in the dad's face, despite his crying state.

"No. We- We would have-" Jack switched off the television and dropped the remote to his side. He got up, unable to hear the heart-breaking stories any longer. _People so young did not deserve to feel like their only escape is death. No one deserved to feel like that._ He could only hope the pair would wake up and go on to live happy lives. He pushed the door open to his recording room and sat in his chair, facing the camera. One question remained on his mind the entire time though: _why was he so drawn to the stories? He had no idea who they were._

-

"It was reported this morning that a third teen, named Amber Paige was found after attempting suicide. Just like the others, she had the 'A' symbol on her wrist too. Police are trying their best to investigate to see if we have a murder case on our hands. The bracket for these victims appears to be teenagers aged between 14 and 19 so stay safe." Jack frowned: it was sick. Who on earth would try to kill someone for fun?

He couldn't bear watching Amber's parents cry and talk to the interviewers so he turned off the TV with a sigh. The 'A' guy seemed to be a dangerous psycho who probably belonged in a mental asylum, separated from society.

-

"Jack, turn on the news. Right now." PJ said, making Jack furrow his eyebrows.

"Why?" He questioned but he reached for his remote anyway.

"Just watch."

"This is now the seventh attack from this so-called 'A'. He appears to be very dangerous but we have got some security footage of who we believe to be the man behind these monstrous crimes." A very bad and fuzzy recording then began to play of a man sneaking out of a bedroom window. He climbed down the side of the house and appeared to have a similar hairstyle to Jack.

"Are you a serial killer?"

Jack was in too much shock to respond. He narrowed his eyes, realising their mops of hair were literally identical. "No!" Jack muttered. "That's not me."

"Are you sure because it sure looks like you. Unless you're telling me you've got an evil twin."

"If you think it was me, why haven't you turned me in yet?"

"Because you're my friend and I know you wouldn't do something like this. I mean, you're that guy on YouTube who is constantly screaming about positive mental attitude. I can't see you murdering a bunch of teenagers."

"It wasn't me. I don't know who it is but I can tell you, it is not me."


	2. Chapter 2

_YoU gAvE mE lIfE –A._

Jack stared at the text on his computer screen and stood up, knocking his chair over in the process. He backed up and shook his head rapidly in horror. The text was undoubtedly Anti's font and it did make sense, considering 'A' looked like him in every way possible.

He felt like he should call someone. PJ. The police. Anyone. But he was too afraid. They would never believe that an ego he created online would have come to life. Heck, he didn't even believe it. Was he losing it?

Jack then decided to go to bed. It must have been the exhaustion, making him imagine weird things that aren't actually there. It was a mistake waking up a couple of hours before his usual alarm and dosing himself up on coffee.

...But he couldn't sleep. He laid awake in bed, his mind racing as he stared up at the ceiling. The names of the victims of the so called 'A' were running circles in his head and he couldn't help but question why they seemed so significant to him.

-

Slamming his fridge door shut, Jack let out an unnecessarily loud huff. He needed to go food shopping because he was out of pretty much everything and he needed milk for the coffee that was practically keeping him going at that point. He sat at his computer and ordered what he needed. Considering he couldn't just click _buy_ and get it immediately, he grabbed his wallet too.

He needed to get out of the house anyway. Luckily his nearest Tesco's was a five minute walk down the road. It also had a Costa next to it so maybe he'd buy himself a coffee if he was feeling generous enough. He spent ten minutes pacing up and down the store in search for the milk and grinned when he found it.

He left the shop, content with Costa in his hand. Instant coffee tasted like dirt compared to actual drinks from real coffee shops.

As he sipped at the beverage and walked passed a suspiciously dark alleyway, he heard a high-pitched scream.

_Don't get involved, Jack. You'll only get yourself killed by some crazy drug dealer._

But, before he could even pay attention to his own thoughts, he had taken off running into the alley. He made it just in time to watch a fairly tall, black-haired girl slap a man with a cap on. She then raced off, obviously in tears and rather traumatised. The man collapsed to the ground and pulled his knees to his chest, rocking back and forth. Jack should have run from the potential rapist/murderer/drug dealer/any other criminal you can imagine but instead he acted purely on instinct and approached the clearly unstable guy. "Did you hurt her?" Jack asked in a voice that was devoid of emotion. The stranger looked up from his knees and connected eyes with Jack. Jack stumbled backwards as he noticed his eyes were the exact same as the stranger's and they _literally had the same face?!_

Not at all phased by the fact that they were identical, the man cried out, "No! No! No!"

"Who- Who are you?" Jack's mind repeated over and over again: _please don't be Chase, please don't be Chase._ It obviously was his ego because he had the signature cap but he refused to believe it. _First Anti now-_

"Chase." _Were his egos all coming to life or something? Damn, he did need to get more sleep._

"I-I'm Jack."

"I know. You're the reason I'm here so of course I know who you are dude."

"But you're a fictional character... You should simply be up here." Jack pointed at his forehead, suddenly feeling very dizzy. He noticed the (now empty) Costa cup on the floor and the bottle of milk beside it; _at what point had he dropped them?_

"Anti said we would be better off here, we'd never feel forgotten or unloved and you wouldn't control us anymore."

"Anti," Jack spat the name out, as if it was venom. "Can I do anything to get you back... back in my head?"

"I dunno." Chase mumbled so Jack held out his hand and pulled the ego up. He was shaking, obviously cold in his short sleeved shirt. Jack sighed and handed over his jacket.

"You can stay with me until I- we figure this mess out."

-

 

"Does that mean there's more of you?" Jack questioned as he poured him and Chase some coffee. Chase was just walking around the kitchen, entranced by everything- _as if he had never seen a spoon before._

"Of course! I don't know where the rest of them are but I wish I did. I miss them..." Chase sighed but his attention had quickly passed onto something else: the oven. He was twisting the dial whilst sticking his tongue out in concentration. Jack let out a little laugh before grabbing Chase's hand and pulling it away from the dial and turning the oven off.

"Don't touch that. It's dangerous."

"Sorry." Chase sounded kind of upset but he covered it up with a wide grin. Jack could see right through it but he didn't question the man, deciding he was old enough to look after himself.

"Now, I need to go film so just... I'll put on a movie for you." Chase nodded, following Jack into his living room. He sat down on the sofa, eyes wide as it sunk below him. His hand stroked the material and he smiled at the feeling. "What sounds good to you?" Jack held out two movies and Chase shrugged before slowly pointing at one because it had a picture of a dog on it. Jack then set it up for the guy and muttered, "Please don't bother me and just stay here."

-

"Top of the morning to you-" Jack paused and pulled off his headphones as he heard a small knock on his door.

He was about to blame his imagination when the room was completely silent but then _knock knock_ , followed by, "Jack?"

Jack huffed. "Yes?" Chase pushed open the door and smiled bashfully.

"Are you done yet? I'm lonely."

"Chase, you of all people should know how long it takes to record." Jack murmured, refusing to meet Chase's gaze: _he really needed to get the conversation over and done with so he could record._

"Hey! I'll have you know all my trick shots are 100% real and done first try!"

"That's not what I meant. All I meant was that you're also a YouTuber," Composing himself after the outburst, Chase pulled off his cap, fluffed up his hair and put the hat back on. "Why are you wearing that inside?"

"Because I'm-"

"Actually I don't want to know. Please leave so I can continue recording."

Chase grumbled something under his breath so Jack couldn't hear before leaving and shutting the door a little too harshly.

-

"Chase! I'm done!" Jack yelled, entering the living room. Chase was huddled up into a ball on the floor, crying silently and Jack's broken phone laid a couple of metres in front of him. Jack's energy level substantially dropped at the sight and he tried to repress the anger bubbling inside him. "What did you do?"

"I-I just wanted to talk to someone I knew but I couldn't get into your phone. I was lonely but I-I'm okay now." Chase grinned but a tear dripped down his cheek.

"We'll find them, alright?" Jack did not expect Chase to be so... emotionally unstable or childish. He knew his attention span was short and he was probably ten times as hyper as Jack but he hadn't realised how little Chase knew about the world.

"I'm sorry I'm so annoying. I just don't enjoy being left alone."

"I get it. Let's go out somewhere. Shopping?"

"I don't have any money..."

"I do. Come on." Jack took Chase's hand and helped him up. Chase offered him an apologetic smile but Jack kept reassuring him it was okay; he could get his phone fixed.


	3. Chapter 3

Marvin had no idea where he was. The last thing he remembered was talking to Anti about entering the real world with the promise of being free. He had loved the idea personally as it seemed like the perfect opportunity to widen his target audience and show more people his magic. That was the greatest thing to the magician as the other egos were getting sick of his tricks (especially Anti who thought they were 'really annoying').

He brought a hand up to his face and pulled his cat mask down a little. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his deck of cards. They were old and worn because he had used them so much and made sure to never go anywhere without them. They definitely had not been a gift from someone he may just have feelings for but he always just insisted they 'looked awesome!'.

In that moment, he only just realised he had been standing in the middle of a busy street. Upon noticing that, his heart beat a little faster as anxiety spread through his body but he ignored it when someone approached him.

"What's the mask for dude? You look like some sort of magician." The guy spoke with an accent Marvin didn't recognise so the magician grinned.

"I am! Do you want to see a trick?"

"Sure."

"Pick a card and don't show me," The guy chose a card from Marvin's deck, glanced at it then nodded, holding it against his chest. Marvin looked into his eyes and immediately figured it out. "Hmm... is it the 7 of hearts?"

The guy's eyes widened as he looked back at the card. "How-"

"A magician never reveals their secrets..."

"Dude! You're awesome!" He reached into his pocket and pulled out some change. Marvin stared at it as if it was some foreign object but took it anyway. The guy then left and Marvin shoved the coins into his pocket.

The magician smiled widely: he wasn't in it for the money, he was in it to be liked and to make people happy.

-

"Chase, you're the same age as me. Surely you should have grown out of these already?" Jack chuckled, only meaning it as a joke. Chase didn't laugh; he just gently placed the Nerf gun back on the shelf. Jack's face softened as he realised he had hurt the ego's feelings. Chase mumbled something under his breath so Jack asked him to repeat himself.

"Stacy always told me that... I get it. I'm in my twenties and love Nerf guns. It's okay." Chase was still smiling but it seemed fake compared to how his face had lit up at the sight of the gun.

"No, get it. I was only joking..."

"It's fine, dude. Don't bother." Jack felt really guilty that he had upset Chase so got it anyway. After that, Chase's smile seemed a bit more authentic.

-

"Pew! Pew! Pew!" Chase giggled, pointing the gun at Jack who held up his hands in defence. The plastic bullets hit Jack's arms as he laughed loudly. Chase was acting like a little kid as he fired the bullets and missed the target (Jack) almost every time but he didn't seem to mind. He was just chuckling at such a volume that tears were falling down his cheeks but he was enjoying himself which was all that mattered.

"At this rate you'll have lost them all before we get home." Jack bent down and collected up the ammunition, pocketing them so Chase wouldn't lose them.

Chase pouted but let the arm that was holding the gun fall to his side. He suddenly decided to take in his surroundings as he was no longer distracted by the gun. He immediately noticed someone from within the crowd with an unmissable mask on and ran towards them without even warning Jack. It took him a few seconds to react but he soon followed the ego.

Chase was hugging the man tightly as wet tears streamed down his face. Jack then realised it was Marvin.

"Jack of clubs..." Marvin mumbled to the person he had been talking to. The woman and her friends laughed before handing over the card and also some spare change. Then it was just Jack and two of his egos. Chase was still gripping onto Marvin as if it had been a lifetime since they had seen each other.

"Marvin, do you have any idea of how to help us?" Jack asked, nowhere near as ecstatic as Chase to see the other ego.

"Help..?"

"Get you back home." Marvin glanced at Chase and bit his lip.

"I don't want to go home. I like it here. People actually appreciate my magic. Chase, don't you like it here?"

Chase looked down at his Nerf gun, up at Marvin and then at Jack whose eyes were wide with helplessness. "Not really..." He mumbled. "I mean, I know no one here and it's... weird, dude."

"All the other egos are here. You know them."

"We don't know where any of them are, Marv... They're all missing."

"Oh..."

"So I want to go home. Where we're all together and safe."

"But no one appreciates us there. Everyone tells me my tricks are terrible and they make fun of your obsessions with Nerf guns."

"Marv, I don't care about that. I want to go back to what I know. This deal with Anti was such a mistake." Chase was on the verge of crying but he still insisted on smiling ever so gently. No one would ever understand why he desperately tried to hide his emotions all the time.

"But... we're free here."

Chase stepped away from Marvin to stand with Jack before muttering, "Jack and I are going to get me and the other egos home, whether you come or not, bro."

"Chase-"

"Please come with us..."

Marvin frowned but, as soon as he met Chase's pleading eyes, he had to nod. "Fine."


	4. Chapter 4

"The total count of A's victims is now seventeen. Police are investigating to find any links. Luke Simpson is the latest victim and he appears to be outside the age bracket as he is 27 years old. Similarly to the others, he was described as a man who was 'full of energy' and 'always smiling'." Jack sighed, unable to tear his gaze away from the television. Guilt was swirling in the pit of his stomach, even though he knew there wasn't much he could do without knowing Anti's whereabouts. Marvin turned to the man with furrowed eyebrows, unable to understand why he looked so close to tears.

"Why's this getting you down? I get it, innocent people are dying but it's not like it's your fault." He asked.

"All these people have been hurt by me. It _is_ my fault." Jack's voice was violently shaking because he had been indirectly attempting to kill all these people.

"You're a serial killer? Well, a pretty bad one since none of them are dead. I did not see that coming. Congrats on hiding it dude, at least-"

"I'm not the killer! It's Anti... who I created so this is all my fault."

Marvin muttered something under his breath. Jack tried his best to make it out but couldn't.

"Huh?"

"He said he wouldn't do this... I think he's trying to get revenge on you."

"What did I do? I made him up and I'm the reason he's alive!"

"You've controlled him all his life. Now he wants to make your life hell as pay back."

-

Jack clasped a hand over his mouth to reduce the volume of his sob. He was sitting on his bed with his back against the wall and his knees against his chest. The news was quietly playing with a picture of Anti's latest victim on the screen. It was a boy that was the youngest of all of them so far: ten years old. The picture made the boy look so innocent; so undeserving of such pain. Jack was trying so hard to keep quiet as his body shook with cries. Chase and Marvin were in the next room and Jack could only assume Chase had his Nerf gun as Marvin kept squealing as if he was being shot with an actual gun.

The faces of all of the victims were etched into Jack's brain and it just lead to him rocking back and forth. His head lifted up as his name was called and his door burst open. He quickly wiped away his tears but he wasn't quick enough. Marvin frowned, asking, "You okay?" despite the answer being obvious. Jack nodded, clearing his throat and standing up.

"I don't think you are, dude." Chase muttered, coming out from where he had been hiding behind Marvin. "What's up?"

"Nothing... What did you want?"

"Chase broke a glass!"

"I didn't mean to! I wanted to do a cool trick shot but it ended up hitting the glass instead of Marvin."

"I'll go clean it up then." Jack gently pushed passed his friends and into his spare room. Surely enough, a glass was smashed on the ground. He sighed at the sight: he was so tired.

-

Jack let out a loud huff and lightly punched the table as his computer crashed for what felt like the hundredth time. He had lost most of his footage and, as tears collected in his eyes, he finally gave up. The black screen displayed a message in Anti's signature font.

_I wIlL gEt ThEm AlL uNlEsS yOu GiVe Up NoW._

It stayed there for a minute or so before the computer died completely. Jack put his head into his hands as he whispered to himself, "How do I give up?"

His phone lit up from where it was laying on the desk so Jack grabbed it. He answered the call, relieved to hear the voice of a familiar friend. "Hey Peej." He had not realised how broken his voice sounded but it seemed to crack regularly as if his throat was dry.

"You okay? We haven't talked in like a week and that worries me since you have the face of a serial killer." PJ sounded genuinely concerned. Usually he maintained a laid back, everything's-okay-unless-proven-otherwise kind of attitude so hearing so much worry from the man was unusual to say the least.

"Yeah, just busy. My computer just crashed which pissed me off a bit but, other than that, I'm fine." _He just hoped PJ couldn't hear Marvin and Chase running around like elephants or laughing like five year olds upstairs._

"Is it alright if I come over?"

"Not really. I've got a lot of editing to catch up on."

"Tomorrow?"

"PJ, I'm really busy and will be for a while so-"

"Jack, why don't you want me to come over?"

"I told you: I'm busy."


	5. Chapter 5

A knock on Jack's front door made all three versions of himself look up. They had been watching The Avengers movies and were about halfway through before getting a sudden guest. Jack would have made the group silence themselves to pretend they weren't in but the light was on so it was obvious someone was home. Whoever was knocking was consistent and determined because they just kept knocking with no signs of giving up.

"Go to the spare bedroom and don't make a sound." Jack whispered. Marvin responded with a nod and he grabbed Chase's hand to guide him to the room. Chase seemed frightened: he had always been afraid of meeting new people, despite his eccentric personality.

"Hey PJ," Jack said as casually as possible. He leant against the doorframe to block PJ's path inside. "What's up?"

"Can I come in?" Jack shook his head, making his friend narrow his eyes. "Jack, please let me in."

"PJ, I'm really busy. My computer crashed again and-"

"What's going on with you? It's slightly suspicious you're acting all weird and there's a serial killer on the loose that looks like you. I should call the police. Honestly, I have no idea why I haven't-"

A loud crash was heard from upstairs, making Jack's eyes widen as he tried his best to shut the door. PJ held out his hand to stop it from closing and pushed passed Jack. "Who's here? And don't say no one. We both heard that."

"No one!" PJ let out a loud sigh before storming upstairs, Jack racing behind.

"This is breaking and entering!"

"Well you could be a murderer." He pushed open every door he passed but found nothing in Jack's room or the bathroom. He shoved open the door to the guest bedroom and gasped at the sight: Chase was hugging his knees and crying whilst Marvin comforted him. In front of him was a broken lamp and his trusty Nerf gun. "What. The. Fuck?" He backed up but Jack wouldn't let him run that time.

"So your egos... they're real?" The disbelief was apparent in his voice and the way his face had drained of all colour.

"I guess so."

"It must be Anti attacking the people then... not you."

"Yep."

"I need to sit down..." PJ sunk into the bed, switching his gaze between Chase and Marvin as if he expected them to disappear at any moment. He had his hand pressed into his head because he was trying to figure out if he had a fever and was delusional.

Jack sat beside him and mumbled, "I'm sorry I lied to you."

"I understand why you did now. Of all the things that you could have been hiding-" He shook his head in disbelief.

The room lapsed into silence so Chase decided to speak up, "I'm sorry for breaking your lamp."

"Trick shot?"Jack questioned.

Chase nodded and Jack just heard PJ mumble, "Unbelievable."

-

"For fuck's sake." Jack muttered as he heard a desperate scream for help. He noticed a blur rush passed him but followed the screams anyway. He felt suspiciously drawn to it and he sincerely hoped it wasn't one of his egos causing trouble. He was on his way to PJ's but the man could wait.

His eyes laid upon a man in a red superhero suit raising a fist at a smaller man wearing a black hoodie. The girl being attacked pushed passed Jack, almost knocking him over in the process. Jackieboy Man delivered the punch, making the guy stumble backwards. He then zoomed off, obviously terrified of what Jackieboy Man was going to do next.

Jackieboy Man grinned and placed his hands on his hips before turning to face Jack. "Oh! Jack! I'm so glad to see you. Have you seen Chase? Henrik? Mar-" He asked. He was very confident compared to Chase who was petrified of almost everything.

"Marvin and Chase are back at mine. They're safe. Wait- Henrik's here too? Damn it. That means he's still here somewhere." It would never not be weird for Jack to talk to someone he had only ever imagined. The disbelief was always apparent in his voice.

"Henrik's a smart dude. He'll be fine."

"I don't even know where to find him... and Anti's dangerous."

"Of course he is because he has some messed up logic. Seriously, putting people's lives in danger for petty revenge. Idiot." Jackieboy Man muttered the last part.

"Do you have any idea where we'd be able to find him or how to stop him?"

"Well, no. We never really got on much because of our... conflicting views. I save people, he tries to kill them but I bet Henrik would know.... He had a soft spot for Anti, always helping him when he came home all bloody and bruised..." Jackieboy Man shook his head but he couldn't continue to talk because Jack's phone started to ring in his pocket.

"Where are you? You said you'd-" PJ started but Jack cut him off with a small laugh.

"I found Jackieboy Man..."

-

"Jackie!" Chase squealed, running towards the other ego and hugging him tightly. Marvin was grinning but didn't rush to embrace him.

"Hey Chase and Marvin! I hope you're staying out of trouble here." Jackieboy Man was just so charismatic that everyone couldn't help but love him (except Anti). Marvin tried his best not to love him because he was secretly slightly jealous of Jackieboy Man and Chase's relationship but Jackieboy Man was just too friendly and funny.

"We are-" Chase started but Marvin cut him off.

"We haven't even been here two weeks and Chase has broken three lamps and too many glasses to count." Jackieboy Man let out a short laugh, patting Chase on the back.

"That's my man!"


	6. Chapter 6

_MaKe A dEcIsIoN. gIvE uP oR lEt ThEm DiE._

Jack couldn't help it. He screamed, "How do I give up?!" at the top of his lungs, tears burning his eyes. A loud cackle filled the room before the computer screen started to glitch even more. A body then climbed out of the monitor and Jack recognised them straight away.

Green hair. Black clothes. One black eye and one green.

Jack backed up against the wall, his eyes wide and full of sheer terror. Anti was capable of so much and he wanted vengeance on Jack.

_Was he going to die?_

"Oh, Jack-a-boy. Isn't it obvious? You give up by dying." Anti's voice was scratchy and he had a menacing look on his face that craved murder. In his right hand was a knife that was still covered in dry blood which made Jack wince. Anti stepped closer and grazed Jack's cheek with the blade, only just hard enough to draw blood. Shocked, Jack brought his hand up to his face, as if to check the cut was real. The sting confirmed it.

"Kill me then." Jack whispered. Anti shoved him backwards and sent his fist flying towards Jack's face. It hit him right in the nose and a horrifying crack echoed around the room. He scrunched his eyes shut as the knife was pressed into his throat. In that moment, his life flashed before his eyes and there was so much more he wanted to do. He waited. Waited for Anti to properly cut his throat and leave him to die. But nothing happened.

"No, Jack-a-boy. You have to do it yourself." Anti swiped the knife one more time, cutting deep into Jack's arm. He gasped and cried out as Anti disappeared back into the computer screen. Jack muttered a profanity as he watched the red seep out of the wound.

"Jack?" A voice called from the other side of the door. It did not belong to any of the residents of the house but it was undeniably Henrik's strong accent. The door crept open and, sure enough, the doctor was standing there with some medical supplies. "Anti hurt you. Let me clean you up."

"Henrik? What are you doing here?" Jack questioned, accepting a tissue when Henrik handed him it.

"Anti sent me. He said he wanted you alive." He dabbed at Jack's cut to clean the blood around it as Jack held the tissue to his nose.

"Jack?!" Chase yelled before barging into the room. He grinned at the sight of the doctor, practically jumping up and down in excitement. "Schneep! When did you get here?"

"Quiet," Henrik wrapped Jack's arm in a bandage before turning back to Chase. "I came with Anti and JJ and I need to go now. Anti needs me."

"But you only just-"

"Auf Wiedersehen." **(Goodbye. I know no German so sorry but the internet is my source of translations. If you see any mistakes just say and I'll fix it!)** The doctor slammed the door behind him and left no trace of him ever being there with the exception of the bandage on Jack's arm.

Marvin then entered the room, hanging his head in a way that made him appear ashamed. "Should I have not let him in?"

-

"Jack!" Sophie's voice was violently shaking as she let out a series of long sobs. "PJ is in hospital. He- He-" It was very hard to make out her words. They were all merging into one with the sniffs and cries so Jack had to really concentrate to understand.

"Whatever happened, I'm sure it's okay. Can I come to the hospital?" Jack kept his voice calm because he definitely did not want to panic the woman further.

"Yeah... but it's... bad. I-I can't say it."

"That's okay. You can stay on the phone with me whilst I make my way there if you want."

-

Jack wasn't aware of how fast he was walking as he pushed through all of the hospital doors. The corridors seemed endless but eventually he found Sophie and PJ. PJ's eyes were shut and his arms were bandaged up. Sophie was sat next to him, her hand in his as she continued to cry silent tears. "Sophie..." Jack whispered, his breath hitching.

"Look..." She leaned forward and lifted up the bottom of the bandage slightly to reveal an A. Jack's mouth dropped open and he stumbled backwards. He shook his head over and over again. He didn't believe what he was seeing.

In that moment, he was enveloped in such anxiety and disbelief that he just had to escape. He took off and ran, not knowing where he was going until he stopped at the door to the roof.

-

"Chase, will you stop that?" Jackieboy Man muttered. Chase frowned but continued to direct the Nerf gun at the superhero's shoulder. "Leave me alone. Go bother Marvin."

"But I always play with Marvin..." Chase was whining but Jackieboy Man didn't seem to care. "Why are you so boring?"

"I don't know. Maybe because you're an adult playing with a toy gun. Grow up a little, will you?" Chase wiped his eyes but couldn't stop the tears from falling. He turned to hide his face from Jackieboy Man before storming into the guest bedroom. He slammed the door behind him and chucked the Nerf gun at the wall. It made a loud noise as it came in contact but he didn't care. He slid his back down the door until he was in a sitting position and pulled his knees to his chest.

Not long later, someone knocked on the bedroom door. "Are you okay in there?" _Marvin._

Chase sniffed, yelling, "I'm fine." It was evident in his voice that he was not.

"Are you sitting in front of the door?" The door handle moved a little before Marvin figured out the answer on his own. "Can you please move? Or at least tell me what happened?"

"I'm sorry I'm so childish all the time."

"Hey, hey... you don't need to worry about that. It's cute more than anything."

"I'm not cute. I'm a manly man."

"You let yourself believe that... but being childish is not a bad thing."

"So you don't deny that I act like a seven year old?"

"Well, maybe you don't act like an adult sometimes but that's okay. I really like that about you."

"You do?" The rising intonation in Chase's voice showed that Marvin was helping and giving the man a bit more hope.

"Yes, Chase, I do. I love you and your personality, dude." Chase stood up and opened up the door, practically falling into Marvin's arms.

"I love you too, bro."

"Now, will you tell me what lead to you feeling like this?" Marvin guided Chase over to the bed and they sat beside each other. Marvin wrapped an arm around his friend's shoulder to offer his support.

"Jackieboy Man wouldn't let me shoot him..."

"Do you want me to talk to him?" Chase rapidly shook his head, leaning into Marvin's shoulder. Marvin smiled gently but nodded in understanding. As if on cue, there was a knock on the door and Jackieboy Man showed his embarrassed and guilty face.

"I didn't mean to upset you. I'm just stressed about all this stuff with Anti. I just hate not being able to do anything about it, you know? People are getting hurt all around me and I'm just- just helpless. I hate that and it makes me kind of antsy... so, sorry. I know it's no excuse but... yeah." Jackieboy Man whispered, hanging his head in shame. He very slowly and hesitantly moved so that he could sit down beside Chase who still seemed to be crying into Marvin's arm.

"It's okay. I'm sorry for being annoying."

"You are not annoying, okay? I'm sorry for everything I said."


	7. Chapter 7

Rain was pouring down heavily from the sky, making Jack's tears completely invisible. Lightning flashed and lit up the roof tops before being followed by a loud clap of thunder. The man was standing right at the edge, so close that even one nudge would send him plummeting to his death. "I didn't mean for this to happen!" He helplessly yelled at nothing. He was on his own on top of the building so nothing was going to stop him from jumping. The wind was making his hair go wild and fly in all different directions. Jack brought his hands to his hair and tugged harshly, letting out a long, high-pitched scream.

"I didn't want anyone to get hurt! I just wanted to help! I wanted to make people happy and- and- be there for them when no one else was. I didn't want them to hurt themselves..." The world went in slow motion as he bent his legs and got ready to jump.

All those subscribers who had been hurt. _PJ_. He'd never forget them. Even if he sorted the business with Anti, their pain would haunt him forever until his death anyway. He was the one who deserved to suffer.

"Jack!" Someone yelled. Jack couldn't see them because the tears had made his vision go blurry. He could just about tell from the glitch-y voice that it was the demon that had caused all of the pain. He didn't want him to try and stop him so he jumped.

It wasn't long before a hand had gripped his shirt and pulled him roughly back. The shirt ripped slightly but the sound couldn't be heard over the deafening wind. He was thrown to the floor, a loud crack filling the air as his head hit the ground. He cried out, cracking his eyes open just in time to see Anti was staring down at him. The demon towered over him and the rain around them just set the scene. His eyes grew heavy as he started to lose consciousness. "Jack!" He yelled again, bending down... but it was too late.

Jack was no longer awake. "Fuck," Anti muttered to himself. It was hardly heard over the torrential rain. "This was not meant to happen!"

-

"Jack? Wake up. Come on, wake up. Verdammt!" **(I believe this means fuck?)** At the recognisable German accent, Jack forced his eyes open. He groaned as he tried to sit up but struggled since his head was pounding. "Stay still."

Jack didn't want to stay still. He insisted on trying to sit up again but the doctor just cautioned him so he laid down again.

"I'm sorry I let this happen, Jack. I should have known Anti would push it too far."

"A-Anti?" Jack croaked out. Henrik let out a loud huff that was filled with anger; Jack did not know who it was aimed at. Another huff was heard from across the room, making Jack fight his headache and look over to see who it was. Jameson Jackson was standing there, dressed up as formally as usual.

"We had a deal. All of us: JJ, Chase, Marvin, Jackieboy Man... We wanted to be-" The doctor's breath hitched so he turned away from a moment. Tears gathered in his eyes but he quickly blinked them away. JJ walked over to the doctor and wrapped an arm around his shoulder to offer comfort. "We wanted to be free. Free of our fears and your control. I didn't think Anti would go this far. He said he'd just put some subscribers into a coma to scare you and we'd talk about it."

"You trusted Anti? He's a monster."

"What other choice did we have Jack? It's not easy being controlled every day of your life, constantly afraid you'd be forgotten or replaced."

"You wouldn't be forgotten..."

"That's just it, Jack. We would be. Eventually you'll run out of ideas involving us and make new egos."

"I wouldn't do that."

Henrik shook his head, before helping Jack sit up. Jack winced but decided Henrik knew best about what to do. He silently reached over and picked up a roll of bandages.

"That's not the only thing we're scared of. Personally I'm afraid that one day I might accidentally hurt someone I love. I focus on work a lot; sometimes too much. I don't want everyone to think I don't care." Henrik refused to meet Jack's gaze and he wasn't sure if that was because of how much he was concentrating or because he was embarrassed of what he had just admitted. "And JJ," He gestured to the silent ego who had just been watching the pair interact. "He's scared of making mistakes. He's terrified of messing things up and upsetting people." JJ hung his head, making his hat fall down ever so slightly. He pushed it back and sighed. "You could have died if you jumped..."

"That's kind of what I was going for." Jack mumbled. Henrik began to wrap the bandage around Jack's head very gently so that he didn't hurt the other man.

"You don't want to die."

"I do if it means I can save my subscribers."

"Jack, he doesn't want you to die either. He just wanted to scare you. He didn't expect you to actually..."

"I'm sorry." They went silent for a moment so Henrik started to leave the room. "Wait, Henrik?" JJ, who had followed silently, left the room but the doctor halted. He nodded but didn't turn around. "You shouldn't be scared of hurting people. You should talk to the people you love about it. I'm sure they'll understand and help you balance your life at work and outside."


	8. Chapter 8

"He's fine." Henrik insisted. He nervously took a seat on the sofa, leaving about half a metre of gap in between him and Jackieboy Man. Chase and Marvin were sitting on the floor together because there wasn't enough space for them. JJ was just lingering at the front door, his hands buried into the pockets of his waistcoat as he just listened to the interaction. "He just hit his head pretty hard." JJ nodded but no one was really looking at him.

"How did that happen?" Jackieboy Man questioned. "I always sense danger and-"

"It doesn't matter, just know he's fine. He'll come home tomorrow. I just need to do some final checkups to make sure there isn't any permanent damage."

"Where have you been hiding all this time?"

Henrik looked down at his lap and pulled at a loose thread in his trousers. He refused to look up with the fear of meeting all of their judgemental gazes. "We were helping Anti."

"Why? He was hurting people, Schneep. I thought you wanted people healthy and alive like I do?"

"I was making sure subscribers stayed alive. I wouldn't have let them die and I'm really angry at myself and Anti for letting Jack almost die. JJ was just here to keep me sane. If he hadn't helped me, I'm sure I would have slipped up and let someone die."

"You could have killed all of us if you did that."

"Do you not care about us? Only Anti?" Chase asked, his voice wavering. He was trying his best to maintain composure but that was hard when it seemed like two of his best friends were traitors. He subconsciously pulled his knees to his chest as he attempted to push away all of the terrible thoughts that ate away at him, telling him _he would never be good enough and everyone was going to leave._ Marvin noticed how tense he was getting and patted his shoulder, sending him a soft, comforting smile even though he wasn't feeling 100% either.

"We do care about you. I just-"

"Anti doesn't care about anyone. Only himself. That has been proved by him letting us agree to this stupid deal, just to ditch us as soon as we got to the real world." Jackieboy Man was on his feet, his hands on his hips. It was his usual heroic stance but that time it just connoted irritation.

"Jackie-"

"Henrik, get out. You too, JJ. We get it, we're nothing to either of you."

Henrik looked like a lost puppy as he met each of their gazes one by one, searching for someone to help him. Instead, he just found sadness and anger. JJ walked forward and silently grabbed Henrik's arm. They met eyes momentarily and sadly exchanged a smile before walking out of the house. Henrik wiped his eyes under his glasses: _he couldn't cry._

-

"Jack!" Chase yelled, running into the man's arms. Jack made a little noise that resembled an "oof" but quickly hugged back, enjoying the physical contact. "Sorry." Chase backed up a little, forgetting that Jack could have been in pain. "That looks painful, dude."

"It is. I have a raging headache all the time." Jack replied but he was smiling widely. He was glad to be out of the place where he had been staying, since Henrik had decided not to talk to him much at all, leaving him bored and alone. JJ had lingered in the room for short periods of time but he wasn't great company because he never even attempted to communicate.

"At least you're not dead!" Jackieboy Man spoke up. He pat the guy on the back and apologised when he winced slightly.

"Remember to drink plenty of fluids." Henrik muttered, as if he was afraid to speak up.

"Stay hydrated!" Chase grinned, his eyes sparkling with innocence.

"Thank you for looking after me."

"Bitte." **(according to a trusty friend, this means you're welcome.)**

"I have no idea what that means but thanks." Jack chuckled as Henrik started to walk towards the front door.

Just as he reached for the door handle, he turned and quickly said, "We love you all so much. You are most definitely not nothing to me. You are my everything and I'm sorry if I made it seem like otherwise. I always just want the best for you and I thought I was giving you that by helping Anti set us free."

"I don't believe you." Jackieboy Man was looking at his feet but it was undeniably his voice. JJ's eyebrows creased and he frowned but he didn't even try to communicate his thoughts.

Henrik let out a gentle sigh. "You don't need to. I'll leave if you want. Just... please look after yourselves." JJ pointed at himself, as if to say _'me too'_.

"No, Jackie. I believe them." Chase stood up and hugged the doctor who smiled gently at the other ego. He then pulled JJ into the hug so he patted his back to show his gratitude. Marvin soon nodded in agreement and joined the embrace.

"Fine, but no funny business. If you hurt any of them, I will hurt you, okay?"

"I love you."

"We love you too." Henrik's body then started to glow before fading slowly.

"What's happening, dude?" Chase was panicked so he refused to let go of the doctor (as if that would help the situation). "Hen-"

"Goodbye." Henrik's soft voice just about whispered before he had completely vanished. Chase let out a loud cry, desperately trying to hug the air.

"He's gone..." Marvin muttered, taking Chase's hands into his own so he'd stop waving them around. "And I have a feeling he's going home." JJ looked down at his feet and smiled ever so gently, aware that the doctor had, in fact, gone home.


	9. Chapter 9

"Marv..." Chase mumbled, looking up at the ceiling. Marvin hummed to show he was listening. They were laying in Jack's spare bed together and Marvin had felt Chase tossing and turning for at least the past hour. "Do you really think Henrik has gone home?" Worry was laced in his voice. Anyone else would probably have rolled their eyes and told him to stop acting like a baby but Marvin knew of his anxious ways. He wrapped his arms around the man and pulled him closer in a brotherly cuddle.

"I think so. It would make sense, wouldn't it?" Marvin's voice was deep because he was half asleep.

"I guess... I'm just worried. What if we never get home and he's on his own forever?"

"That won't happen, will it?"

"It could. I-I mean-" Chase couldn't continue because his breathing had substantially increased in frequency. He pushed Marvin away so he could sit up and place a hand on his chest.

"It won't happen, okay? We'll get home, I promise you. Cross my heart and hope to die."

"If we don't?"

"We will. Now come on, let's get to sleep."

-

"What the fuck did you do with Henrik?" Anti yelled at Jack from the doorway. Jack pulled the demon into his house just so the entire street didn't have to witness any arguing or violence. Jackieboy Man was sitting on the sofa, poking at his cereal with his spoon whilst Marvin and Chase were still in bed upstairs. JJ was sitting next to Jackieboy Man, one of Jack's empty notebooks on his lap as he sketched some random things.

"Nothing. We think he has gone home." Jack kept his voice calm in hopes it would put out the furious fire in Anti's chest. It didn't. Unsurprisingly.

"You're lying. There's no way he could have gotten home." Anti grabbed Jack by the collar of his shirt and pushed him into the wall. Jack yelped as his head hit the wall, dizziness quickly spreading through him. He hadn't fully recovered from his previous injury so he was prone to dizziness and migraines.

"I'm not lying."

"You little shit, tell me-"

"He's not lying, you idiot." Jackieboy Man was on his feet and pulled Anti away. Jack gasped for air, bringing a hand to his neck and frowning. "We were getting all sappy and then _poof_!" He did some weird gesture with his hand. "He disappeared and Marvin came up with the idea that he went home. I don't know where else he could have gone so..." JJ stood up and stood alongside the pair, nodding to show he agreed with the other ego.

Anti let out a very angry growl, sending a punch flying towards the wall. Pain surged through his knuckles but he didn't care. He needed the doctor so that no one actually got killed; since he wasn't there, he couldn't hurt anyone. JJ didn't know anything about keeping people healthy: all he had been to the doctor was a friend; someone to support him when things got tough.

"But it doesn't make sense! How was he meant to get home?!"

"It's obvious, is it not?" Marvin started, slowly entering the room. Each person stared at him as if he had two heads, clearly not jumping to the conclusion as easily as he had. "We got here by embracing our fears and letting them take over. It's only obvious that we get home by conquering them."

"You're a genius, dude!" Jackieboy Man practically yelled, grinning widely. Anti just rolled his eyes, playing with the knife that he had just pulled out of his pocket.

"Sappy shit. This is not a-" He threw the knife into Jack's wall, making him grumble and grab the knife to stop Anti throwing it around any more. "Fucking fairy tale or something."

"It may not be but if that's how we get home... I don't care." Marvin pulled his cat mask down ever so slightly but it couldn't hide how wide he was smiling.

-

"Anti, you're staying here. We can't lose you," Jack moved so that he was blocking the demon's only exit, eliciting a series of grumbles from him. "Do you want to go home?"

"No."

Jack sighed a bit overdramatically. "Do you want your friends to go home?"

"Yes but why do you need me?"

"Because they need you to go home too, okay? This isn't your world. I won't control you anymore because I get that you're a person. I no longer see you as a fictional character who I made up."

"You better not."

"I don't but you need to go home. All the egos need you, even if all you do is cause trouble."

"Fine but I won't hesitate to come back to the human world if you-"

"I won't do anything."

-

Jack's eyes widened as he realised he had skipped about a week's worth of uploads. He had tweeted a while back about having computer problems but that was no excuse for going missing for an entire week. He hadn't even been active on any social media since his mind was preoccupied with everything that was happening with the egos.

He decided that he really needed to sit down and record. It might help him relax. Suddenly, an idea formed into his head and it made him grin widely and call out, "Anti!"

"What?" He grumbled, walking into the room with his hands in his pockets. As his long fringe hung over one of his eyes, he reminded Jack of an angsty teenager, going through their emo phase.

"Do you want to record a video with me?"

Anti's face lit up a little but he still refused to smile as he nodded enthusiastically.


	10. Chapter 10

Anti had Jack's phone in his hands as he scrolled through the comments on the new video. A smile was so close to forming on his face as he read through all of the love for him. He always believed he was the least liked since he was portrayed as some heartless, murderous demon but apparently that wasn't the case.

"They love you a lot, you know?" Jack whispered upon seeing Anti's ghost of a smile.

"Yeah... but they like the other egos better. They have so much more personality and... charisma. I'm just... a demon." Jack sat down on the sofa beside him, placing an arm around his shoulder. (If you asked him a month ago: _'do you think you'd ever practically cuddle Anti?'_ he would have asked you to see a doctor that dealt in mental health.)

"No, you're not. Everyone loves you and you're most people's favourite."

"They'll forget me soon though, won't they? They'd easily replace me with Chase for being so fun or Marvin for his magic or Henrik for his-"

"Stop comparing yourself to them. Yes, you're different but that's a good thing. They'll never forget you."

"But what if they do? I'll cease to exist if-"

"They won't forget you, okay?" Jack smiled sympathetically. Anti let out a low growl before clenching his hand into a fist.

"They will! I'm nothing! I'm a waste of space and all I do is hurt people! If I'm remembered, it will be for all the wrong reasons!"

"No, it won't. Lots of people see you as so much more than heartless, trust me..." Jack noticed a tiny tear trailing down the demon's cheek so he leaned closer and wiped it away. "You will never be forgotten."

"Promise?"

"I promise. I won't forget you either. I will always make videos about you, Anti."

"All of you are turning me into a pathetic little shit," Anti wiped his eyes before noticing his hand was fading ever so gently. "You're not too bad, Jack. Sorry for convincing you to kill yourself. No hard feelings, right?"

Jack chuckled, "No hard feelings."

Anti then smiled; it was only small but it was a smile. He vanished into thin air, leaving Jack alone on the sofa. He grinned as he realised the demon's only fears were being forgotten and unloved.

-

"A's victims appear to be waking up one by one, although almost all of them claim that, whilst in their coma, they saw two men. One was dressed up like a doctor and the other wore all black and displayed demonic qualities. None of them recall the pair saying anything but it seems kind of strange they all experienced the same thing. They have all woken up, perfectly fine; even their scars have faded completely, like they were never even there. This is probably one of the most obscure and unexplainable cases out there. Police say that there is no need to investigate further as there are no leads and the victims cannot report anything about the criminal. Onto Janet with the weather."

Jack couldn't help but sit there, grinning crazily at the television. If the victims were waking up, that meant that Anti had most likely made it home and both him and Henrik had cured them. They were one step closer to things going back to normal.

He was going to miss them all. A lot. It would be so weird not having Chase shooting his Nerf gun at him, Marvin not showing him any magic tricks and not having Jackieboy Man to brighten up the room. Jackieboy Man stood up from where he had been sitting and narrowed his eyes at Jack. "Are you alright?" He questioned. Jack furrowed his eyebrows, ready to ask _'why wouldn't he be?'_ but then he felt a small tear drip onto his skinny jeans.

"It's going to be weird not having all of you around."

"It's going to be weird not being able to talk to you anymore either. If we ignore that you've controlled us all of our lives, you're a pretty cool dude."

"Thanks, Jackie."

-

Jack let out a loud yelp as he accidentally knocked his coffee mug off of the counter. It flew to the ground and smashed into a million pieces. Jackieboy Man was quick to run in and scoop Jack up into his arms, screaming, "I'll save the day!" Jack was laughing at him so much that he was unable to form actual words and instead just let the hero wave him around. Jackieboy Man eventually did put him down and grinned, placing his hands on his hips.

"I would have been fine on my own." Jack chuckled. Jackieboy Man's response was to clear his throat and pull his mask down a tiny bit.

"I heard trouble and I had to come."

Jack reached out and patted Jackieboy Man's head.

"What if you died?"

"By stepping on glass? I wouldn't die."

"You totally could! I could have saved your life."

"You let yourself believe that." Jack turned to grab something to clean up the shards but he heard Jackieboy Man sigh softly behind him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, fine." He lifted up his mask for the first time since he had been at Jack's and rubbed his eyes. It was obvious he wasn't okay.

"Talk to me about it. I'm here for you."

"I can't, I'm sorry." Jackieboy Man pushed passed Jack and escaped the room. Jack narrowed his eyes.

-

Jackieboy Man let out a loud groan as he shoved his face into his pillow. He was trying so hard to not cry but that was becoming near enough impossible. He really didn't want to seem weak. He rubbed his eyes violently but that didn't prevent tears from escaping. A knock was heard on the door before it was pushed open and Chase walked in. "Jackie... what's wrong?" He asked. He sat down beside Jackieboy Man, wrapping an arm around his friend. Jackieboy Man just pushed him away and forced a smile.

"Nothing, Chase. Don't worry about me."

"No. Tell me."

"You wouldn't understand."


	11. Chapter 11

"Hey Marv?" Chase started, making Marvin nod. They were just sitting on the sofa together, watching some weird movie Jack had put on to distract them whilst he got some recording done. "Have I ever told you how much I appreciate you? You're an amazing friend and you help me when I feel anxious and-"

Marvin let out a short chuckle, not directed at Chase in a rude way, just in a way that reflected how flattered he felt. "Where's this coming from?" His face had even tinted red but Chase couldn't tell because of his mask.

"I don't know," Chase looked up and met Marvin's soft eyes. "Just though I'd thank you... for making me feel loved even after all that shit that I went through with Stacy."

"You don't need to thank me for that. You're a friend and so I don't mind helping you out."

"I love you, bro." They went silent as Chase felt himself leaning forward. Just as their lips were about to touch, Marvin's body began to fade away. Chase wrapped his arms around the magician's neck to try and pull him even closer so they could kiss but then he disappeared into thin air.

Chase jolted back and yelled for Marvin but, of course, he didn't come. He felt tears well up in his eyes as he was desperate to hear the magician's voice or feel his touch again. Upon hearing Chase's sob, Jackieboy Man entered the room, unsure of how to react to the crying man. Jackieboy Man was used to fighting people to help others feel better but he had no idea how to deal with... _emotions._ He sat down beside the other man and put on the kindest, most relaxing smile he could muster. "What's up?" He asked.

"Marvin, he- he-" Chase was clearly struggling to speak due to how fast he was breathing. The discomfort was clear on Jackieboy Man's face but Chase was too engrossed in his panic to really notice.

"What happened?" Chase was silent for a few moments so the other ego pushed him further. He felt extremely helpless because Chase wasn't giving him any information on how to help. "Did he go home?" He expected to get a clear "no" because _why would Chase be crying if Marvin had safely made it home?_ It didn't make sense to him. Instead, he got a slow nod and another round of tears. Jackieboy Man moved ever so slightly closer, hesitantly patting Chase's back. "You know he's okay, right? This is what we all want: to go home. Why are you so upset about it?"

"I fucked up, Jackie. I-I'm so stupid."

"I can assure you that is not true. You're an intelligent person just like us and no matter what you did-"

"You- You don't understand!" Chase rubbed his bright red eyes with his hand, refusing to meet his friend's gaze. Unsure of how to respond to that, Jackieboy Man snatched the snapback from where it had been on top of Chase's head before placing it on his own and pulling a funny face. Chase let out a tiny chuckle, eliciting a smile on the other's face.

"Then- I don't know; this is just an idea- help me understand?"

Chase sniffed but _most_ of his tears had subsided. Maybe Jackieboy Man didn't credit himself as helping people emotionally but he sure knew how to get Chase to laugh which was exactly what he needed. "I..." He started before covering his mouth with his hand to muffle what he said next. It was obvious that Jackieboy Man was unimpressed because he slowly raised one eyebrow. Chase sighed before repeating himself, just a bit more coherently that time. "I very nearly almost might have tried to... kiss him?"

"What?!" Jackieboy Man noticeably backed up to emphasise his shock; to which Chase responded with another cry. "Wait, no! I'm not shocked in a bad way, I just... didn't see that coming."

"I'm such an idiot, I swear."

"No, you're not. I hope you know Marvin has liked you forever?" Chase's astonishment was apparent in the way his mouth dropped open but no sound escaped. "I thought it was obvious? I mean you gave him that deck of cards for Christmas years ago and he refuses to go anywhere without them-"

"Yeah, but we're best friends..."

"-And the way he looks at you-"

"Stop it," Chase brought his hands up to his face to cover up the redness that was spreading across his cheeks. "You're giving me false hope."

Jackieboy Man raised an eyebrow again but that time it was to express the question: _are you serious?_ "This is not giving you false hope. It's giving you perfectly valid hope because he fucking loves you, you idiot."

"Jackie, you don't need to lie." Chase went to stand up but Jackieboy Man grabbed his arm and pulled him back down.

"I'm not lying. He loves you, dude."

"I'm even more of an idiot than I thought I was."

"Yep." Jackieboy Man grinned, making Chase force a smile back. He then stood up to leave, satisfied that his job of cheering Chase up was complete. Chase, however, called him back.

"You're awesome, you know? I know you always say you don't understand emotions and can only help people when it involves fighting someone but I disagree. You really help cheer me up and you're amazing at that too."

"Dude, there's no need to be so sappy." Jackieboy Man chuckled but he felt a warmth spread through his body. He was trying to prevent himself from smiling too wide but that was hard.

"I remember you told me you were afraid of being helpless and not being able to help people. I don't think you have anything to be scared of, dude."

"I know. It's a stupid fear but I can't help it, you know?"

Chase nodded slowly before hugging Jackieboy Man tightly. "If you can't save one person, it shouldn't matter. Just think about the amount of people you _have_ saved. There's so many that I bet you can't even remember them all."

"Yeah..."

"You shouldn't be afraid. You're a strong dude and you can do anything!" Chase's eyes widened so Jackieboy Man followed his gaze to his fading body. "Tell Marvin that I meant that kiss, okay?"

Jackieboy Man nodded with a wide grin. "Thank you, Chase."

"No problem." He muttered but he was saying it to the air. His hat sat in front of him on the floor where Jackieboy Man had been sitting.

-

Jack wandered downstairs to where he had left the egos. He had just wrapped up a couple of videos, with the attempt of going back to his schedule. He walked into the room, surprised to just see Chase sitting on his own, rubbing his eyes. "Where are Marvin and Jackie?" He questioned, mildly concerned.

"They went home." Chase's voice was wobbly but it was contrasted with his small smile. He leaned down and picked up his snapback before placing it back on his head.

"So it's just you and JJ we need to get home now?"

"Yep."

"What's your fear then?" Jack threw himself down onto the sofa, making Chase nervously glance at him.

"I don't know."

"What do you mean? You must know what you're scared-"

"I'm scared of _everything_ , Jack."


	12. Chapter 12

Someone tapped Jack on the shoulder, nearly giving him a heart attack. He jumped as he jolted around to see who had startled him. JJ was standing behind him in his usual attire, a small smile on his face. "You okay, JJ?" He questioned. JJ nodded before pointing at Jack's set up to try and ask Jack if he could record. Jack just furrowed his eyebrows and shrugged to show he didn't understand.

JJ imitated using a film camera and grinned when Jack's face lit up.

"Of course! Do you need anything to set up?"

JJ shook his head because he could sort it all out himself. Jack then exited his recording room to leave JJ to do his own thing. He grinned at the freedom and just worked on getting things prepared.

-

Halfway through the video, JJ frowned and dropped the pencil he had been using. He huffed as he realised his mistake, grabbing a rubber to fix it. He just couldn't get it perfect and it was stressing him out slightly. All he needed to do was draw himself and he couldn't even get that right.

A small knock was heard on the door before Jack walked in. "Everything going-" He cut himself off once he noticed JJ's discomfort. "What's up?" JJ pointed at the line that was supposed to represent his shoulder. It was wobbly and he couldn't make it symmetrical to the other shoulder. "It looks okay, JJ. I don't see how it looks so bad. I'd say keep it the way it is."

JJ shook his head, glaring at the drawing like it had just murdered his best friend.

"It doesn't need to be perfect, okay? Nothing's ever perfect. It looks great the way it is because you drew it and you tried your hardest." JJ still seemed rather down so Jack decided to yell, "PMA!" This elicited a tiny giggle from the silent man. "You did your best and that's all that matters. Plus, that's way better than anything I can do."

JJ started to fade, making Jack reach out to grab his shoulder.

"You can't leave now! You need to-" JJ then disappeared completely so Jack finished his sentence in almost a whisper. "Finish the video." He sighed, looking down at JJ's cute cartoon and picking it up. "Guess it's time to whack out my waistcoat and bowler hat!"

-

"Aren't you going to eat that?" Jack asked at the dinner table. Chase was just staring down at his food, pulling a face with connotations of disgust.

He pushed the plate forward before standing up and muttering, "I'm not hungry."

"Chase, I swear you didn't eat lunch either."

"I did! Just whilst you were recording." Chase shrugged and pushed open the door to Jack's living room. Jack didn't say anything but frowned at his hurried departure.

-

Chase was too cold. And lonely. He had gotten used to laying in bed alongside Marvin who would be there to listen to his late night rambles. It was after dark that his worries began to haunt him. It never got bad enough to lead to tears but, without Marvin's calming presence, there was nothing to stop him from panicking.

All the memories of the moments he shared with his ex-wife, Stacy, and all the worries about the feelings he had for Marvin not being reciprocated filled his head. He sat up as he gradually became nauseous, feeling like laying down would make him vomit. His teeth were chattering as the tears fell down his cheeks so he pulled the covers up and around himself. He glanced at the empty space where Marvin would have been lying and let out a sob. He immediately regretted making a noise and covered his mouth with his hand.

He worried that he wouldn't get home. He worried that no one was going to love him. He worried that he was going to end up alone.

He let out another desperate cry, just wishing someone would come, hold him and tell him everything was going to be okay. But nobody came.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UNDERTALE REFERENCE


	13. Chapter 13

"Sleep well?" Chase shrugged, hoping Jack wouldn't notice the bags under his eyes. He didn't want to admit that he had stayed up until at least four in the morning with the terrible thoughts eating at him. "What's wrong? I feel like I'm sharing a room with JJ and not hyperactive Chase Brody."

"I'm sorry. Just didn't sleep well. I don't know why." Chase poured some hot water into his cup and stirred, the only sound being the sound of the spoon against the mug for a moment. Jack watched the ego's movements very thoroughly, trying to catch him out. Something was up with him and Jack needed to find out what so he could get him back home.

Chase turned to leave but Jack grabbed his arm. That lead to the hot tea spilling over the edge of the mug and dripping onto his hand. He yelped, putting down the tea as Jack quickly grabbed a tissue to help him clean himself up. A red mark remained on his hand. "Talk to me, Chase. I'm here for you."

Chase harshly pulled his arm out of Jack's grip and forced a smile. "I'm fine."

"No, Chase, you're not."

"You don't understand. Only Marvin gets it and he's not here."

"If you let me help, you can go back to him, right? Just, come on," Chase's tea was left forgotten on the side as Jack pulled him into the living room. He sat him down and placed a gentle hand on his knee. "Tell me. What's going on in that head of yours? I promise you that after we talk about this, you can shoot me as many times as you want with your Nerf gun."

"Sounds good to me but I don't know where to start..."

"Maybe start with why you didn't get any sleep last night? Was something bothering you?" Chase's eyes dropped down to Jack's hand on his thigh as he swallowed thickly to compose himself.

"I was thinking about stuff."

"Elaborate?"

"Everything really. All the things Stacy did and I just thought about how no one will-" Chase took a deep breath as his voice started to get shaky. "This is dumb, bro. I swear I'm just overreacting about nothing."

"You're not. No problem is too small." Jack pulled Chase into a hug. He let out a soft cry as he buried his head into Jack's shoulder. The two lapsed into silence as Jack rubbed the ego's back gently.

"Before Marvin left... I tried to kiss him."

"Oh." Jack didn't sound angry or disgusted, just shocked.

"Yeah. I really like him, dude. I'm just worried he would never love me back because I'm childish and stupid and-"

"You are none of those things, okay? You may not act like an adult all the time but that's okay. It makes you who you are and it's adorable. I'm sure Marvin thinks so too."

"That's what you said before but-"

"No buts!"

"-I'm a manly man."

Jack chuckled at Chase who smiled gently. "Yes, Chase, you're a _manly man_. What else has been going on?"

"I'm worried about ending up alone... or ending up with someone just like Stacy. All I-" Chase cleared his throat as he composed himself. "All I want is to find someone who will love me unconditionally."

"Marvin loves you, Chase. He'll never leave you; I know he won't."

Chase shook his head, burying it further into Jack's chest. "You don't know that..."

"I do. Even if all of you are your own people... or demon in Anti's case... I did create you originally and I know that Marvin is loyal and intelligent. He will not leave you."

"I don't want to talk about this," Chase pulled back from the embrace. "My tea's getting cold." He mumbled before rushing out of the room and picking up his beverage. He took a sip before deciding that he felt too nauseous to drink anything.

-

"Why isn't Chase here yet?" Marvin asked, biting his lip. It had been a few days since JJ had come back home but Chase still didn't show any signs of returning.

"I don't know, Marv. He was going through some harder stuff than us." Jackieboy Man replied, patting his friend on the shoulder. Both Henrik and JJ nodded in agreement.

"It's weird not having him here. It's... lonely."

"You have us, okay? You always will," Marvin nodded but gripped Chase's deck of cards harder, as if he was afraid to let go. "Didn't you say you learnt a new trick yesterday?"

Marvin nodded, his face lighting up. Chase was usually the only person to be interested in his magic so hearing Jackieboy Man take an interest really made him feel good about himself. "You want to see it?"

"Yeah!" Henrik spoke up on both his and JJ's behalf. "Of course we do."

Marvin grinned, shuffling his cards carefully so he didn't bend any of them. He then leant forward and asked Jackieboy Man to pick a card.


	14. Chapter 14

"Where is my Nerf gun, bro?" Chase was throwing his bedcovers off of his bed, searching for the toy gun. He couldn't remember where he had left it and he really needed it so he could wind down with some 'sick trick shots' (his words, not mine).

Jack walked into the room and waved around the gun, making Chase grin. "Thanks, dude. You're a-" He leaned forward to take the gun but Jack held it out of his reach and shook his head.

"We still need to talk. You can get it back if you talk to me." Chase let out a groan but Jack refused to drop his serious demeanour.

He sat down on Chase's now-unmade bed and patted the space beside him. Chase sat next to him but not without a series of angry grumbles. "I'm-"

"You're not fine. I know you're not. There's something else."

"What else?"

"You tell me. Why are you so afraid that Marvin doesn't love you? You must be blind if you can't see how he feels about you."

Chase sighed. "Please don't tell anyone... O-Only Marvin knows." Jack placed a hand on Chase's thigh as a promise. The ego was shaking and his leg was bouncing up and down as he tried his best to stay calm. He really couldn't have a panic attack in front of Jack. "Stacy didn't just leave me." His discomfort was apparent in the way that he shifted and moved a couple of centimetres away from Jack. He sounded ashamed. "She wasn't the best wife... she-" His breath hitched and he clasped a hand over his mouth as he let out a sob. "I'm sorry, I really can't do this." He stood up but Jack took his hand and sent him a sympathetic smile.

"Yes, you can, Chase. You're so much stronger than you think. I will not think any less of you, no matter what she did."

Chase hesitantly glanced at the door and then back at Jack. Door. Jack. Door. Jack. Finally, he sat back down but slightly closer to Jack that time. "She used to yell at me all the time. _Chase, do this. Chase, do that. Chase, why are you so annoying? Will you sit still for one moment..._ " He was practically reliving all the memories he had tried so hard to repress so it was expected that he'd be crying so much. His eyes were extremely bloodshot and his nose was running but Jack didn't care about that. He only cared about being there for his ego. "She'd... shit, Jack I can't say it." His breathing was getting heavier and it was obvious he was on the verge of having a panic attack. He gripped the bed sheets tightly as his eyes scrunched shut and the world spun around him. His sobs were making it even harder to get his breathing back to normal.

"Hey, hey, you don't need to... but if you want to get home-"

"She used to- used to hit me!" Chase choked out a sob before pulling his knees up to his chest and hugging them tightly. He buried his head into them as he cried and tried so hard to get calmer again. Jack went to hug the ego but pulled back when he flinched.

"Chase, did you think-"

"Please, get away from me. I-I need to be alone." Jack really didn't want to leave Chase on his own but he had no other choice. He backed out of the room and closed the door gently so that he didn't startle the man.

-

Chase made his usual morning cup of tea whilst Jack watched, sipping at his coffee. Chase seemed to be back to his usual bubbly self but it seemed almost forced. Jack poked the man's shoulder when he knew for certain that Chase wasn't holding the hot tea. He flinched a little. "Do you want to talk-"

"No." Chase cut him off quickly, sending Jack an obviously forced smile and leaving the kitchen with his tea.

Jack stood there for a moment, just staring at the space where Chase had been standing. He had no idea how to help the man.

-

"Pew! Pew! Pew!" Chase practically screeched, shooting Jack with his trusty gun. Jack let out a fake yelp as he dramatically fell to the floor in slow motion. They were both laughing loudly but there was a thick tension in the air.

"Don't let me die here..." Jack groaned, holding out his hand as if he really was on the verge of death. Chase held the gun up to Jack's head and shot, making the sound himself. Jack then shut his eyes and stuck his tongue out.

"RIP Jacksepticeye: a man who wasted 90% of his life on the internet."

Jack's eyes opened and he sat up before saying, "Hey! That's life well spent!"

"Shut up. You're meant to be dead."

"At least I didn't waste 90% of my life playing with a toy gun."

Chase looked at the gun in his hand and frowned for a few seconds before turning away.

"Shit, Chase, I didn't mean to-" But Chase had already gone.

-

"Stupid fucking gun." Chase muttered to himself as he slammed the door of the spare bedroom. He chucked the gun at the wall, wishing he could just break it into pieces. "I'm a fucking adult, I shouldn't own that shit. No wonder no one likes me. I'm a fucking five-year-old trapped in an adult's body." He then kicked the wall where he had thrown the gun before letting out a small yelp in pain.

"Chase! I didn't mean what I said." Jack said from the other side of the door.

"Why would you have said it then?"

"It just slipped out. It was a joke, that's-"

"Don't lie to me, I get it. I need to grow up a little and act my age. Can you just leave me alone?"

"No. No, Chase. I can't leave you alone. Not until you realise how much people love you."

"Jack, I don't need this today."

Jack obviously didn't listen to him because he pushed open the door. He noticed the gun laying on the ground and bent down to pick it up. He held it out to Chase like it was some sort of peace offering. Chase took it but immediately dropped it down onto the bed.

"Stacy was an idiot. Nothing she said or did was right. Marvin isn't like her. He's your best friend and he will always treat you right."

"I know..."

"Then why are you so afraid?"

"I don't know..." Chase put his head in his hands but didn't sit down. He felt some weird mixture of anger and sadness; he wanted to let out desperate sobs and simultaneously punch the wall until his knuckles bled. His hands dropped from his face. One lifted back up but, before he could punch the wall, Jack had grabbed his arm. "I'm just scared I won't be good enough. Marvin deserves the world and I'm nowhere near-"

"Chase, have you seen the way he looks at you? I'm fairly certain you are his world."

Chase wiped a tear away. "I doubt it."

"You are."

"Jack-"

"Listen to me, Chase. He loves you."

Chase refused to meet Jack's gaze but Jack had noticed the man was beginning to very slowly fade. "I-I don't know-"

"I do though. He'd do anything for you; I mean anything. I reckon he'd take a bullet for you, even if it killed him."

"Y-You think?"

"I know," Chase was practically transparent at that point so Jack grinned, leaning forward and whispering, "Go get your man."

"Thank you, Jack." Then Chase had gone back home.


	15. Epilogue

Jack let out a loud sigh as he made the bed in the spare bedroom. The house seemed too quiet without the egos running around and screaming. He missed having company and constantly being interrupted whilst recording (as annoying as that had been).

He sat down on the spare bed and felt the sheets with his hand. They were soft and smooth. He let himself fall back and he spread his arms out, closing his eyes as he felt the comfy mattress. He had just been tidying up the house and was exhausted and so he couldn't help but drift to sleep.

-

_Jack woke up in a house that looked very similar to his: the furniture was in almost the same place. He curiously looked around and walked through the house, unsure of what he was searching for. He then stumbled upon the spare bedroom so he pushed it open to reveal Chase and Marvin sitting on the bed, talking to each other. At first they didn't notice him but, when they did, Chase squealed and practically tackled him into a hug. Marvin just widely grinned and patted him on the back._

_"I missed you so much, dude!" Chase screeched, making both Jack and Marvin laugh at his enthusiasm._

_"I missed you too!" Jack couldn't help but smile so much that his jaw began to hurt because he was so happy to see the egos again. After a moment of silence, Jack whispered, "So..?" Chase raised an eyebrow. "Are you together?!"_

_"Oh," Chase blushed and looked down at his feet as Marvin grabbed his hand. "Yeah..."_

_"Finally! I'm so proud of you!"_

_"What kind of sappy shit is this?" Anti asked, entering the room. He sent Jack a tiny smile so he responded by doing the same._

_"Anti! How are you?"_

_"I'm fine, what about you Jack-a-boy?"_

_"I'm good. Kind of lonely though."_

_"Oh, what a baby." Anti jokingly punched Jack's shoulder but he still winced and rubbed the spot where he was hit._

_"Is there a party going on in here or-" Jackieboy Man joined the group in the room, cutting himself off as his face lit up and he spotted Jack. "Hey Jack! How are-"_

_"We've literally just been through this, Jackie."_

_Jack chuckled, "I'm good."_

_"Hold on, let me go get JJ and Henrik! They’ll want to say hi!" Jackieboy Man rushed out of the room and returned a couple of minutes or so later with the pair in tow. JJ waved and hugged Jack tightly._

_“It is nice to see you again, Jack.” Henrik simply said, wearing a large smile. His eyes were glistening beneath his glasses so Jack pulled him into an embrace too._

_Jack started to fade but Chase yelled, "Wait!" before he could go. He then ran over to his chest of drawers and pulled out a rather crumpled piece of paper. He shoved it into Jack's hand and he only just about had enough time to put it in his pocket before he vanished._

-

Jack sat up again and glanced around the empty spare room. Upon realising he was alone again, he frowned but it morphed into a grin as soon as he remembered the paper. He pulled it out of his pocket and straightened it out.

It was a drawing of all of the egos with Jack in the middle. It was clearly drawn by JJ because he had quite a distinct style of cartoon. He flipped it over and read the writing on the back.

_To Jack,_

_Hi! This is Chase! I didn't draw this because I suck at drawing but it was my idea to give it to you if you ever visited us! All the drawing credits go to JJ. Here's an example of my amazing art, just because I'm so talented._ A tiny stick figure riding a skateboard was drawn beside the writing and it was really shaky and bad. 

_All of us here would like to say thank you. Although you controlled us and shit, it's cool. You helped all of us conquer or at least acknowledge our biggest fears and that's awesome of you dude._

_Anti is super grumpy about admitting you helped but we all know you helped him too. So... thanks for everything :)_

_If it wasn't for you, we'd all be trapped in the human world and I wouldn't be with Marvin. I don't even want to imagine that because that's pretty scary. Anyways, this is only a small piece of paper so I guess I should wrap this up._

_We all love and miss you loads! Oh and we hope you're getting on well and stuff._

_Bye Jack! (We'll always be happy to record videos for you by the way.)_

_~CHASE_ (Yes he wrote his name in capital letters and underlined it multiple times) _, JJ, Marvin, Jackieboy Man, Henrik and Anti_ (Anti's name had been crossed out but rewritten on top in Chase's shaky handwriting).

Jack wiped a tear and held the letter to his chest. "I'm going to miss them all so much..." He whispered to the air. He then stood up and headed into his bedroom, where he stuck the drawing to his wall as a constant reminder of his best friends.


End file.
